Windshield wiper



July 11, 1944.

J. B. WHITTED WINDSHIELD WIPER Filed July 4, 1942 4L j/ c Patented July11, 1944 WINDSHIELD WIPER John B. Whitted, Evanston, Ill., assignor toStewart-Warner Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of VirginiaApplication July 4, 1942, Serial No. 449,753

and is so designed that it may be formed of strip 8 Claims.

This invention relates to windshield wipers and particularly to theconstruction of an actuating arm therefor.

One object of the invention is to provide a new and improved actuatingarm for a windshield wiper.

Another object of the invention is to provide anactuating arm adapted tobe made of sheet metal by relatively simple manufacturing processes andwith an economy of material. v

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved actuatingarm for a windshield wiper formed for ready application or removal ofthe wiper blade from the arm and with compact means for maintaining theblade in operative contact with a windshield over which it is tooperate.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description, taken in connection with the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a windshield Wiper with certain partsshown in section to clarify the construction and including an actuatingarm embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the driving member of a two-partactuating arm.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the hinged wipercarrying member of thearm.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the pressure spring.

Fig. 6 is a detail section taken as indicated at line 6 -6 on Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a detail section taken as indicated at 'II on Fig. 1.

The type of windshield wiper to which this invention relates includes arock shaft I-El mounted for oscillation by means of a suitable motor(not shown) and connected with a wiper blade .or squeegee by means of anactuating arm which draws the blade back and forth across the surface ofthe windshield indicated at II in broken 7 lines. The end of the shaftII! is shown as reduced and threaded at I2, with an intermediate,tapered and knurled portion I3 onto which there is fitted a bushing I4which is retained in position by a nut I5 engaging the threaded part I2.The bushing I4 is pocketed in the polygonally formed end of a drivingarm I6, the remainder of said arm being of channeled form, as shown inFig. 3, with a rivet I'I extending between the side flanges I8, I 8 ofthe channeled form and engaging a groove IS in the bushing I4 to secureit in the pocket at the end of the arm I6. At the opposite stock insteadof requiring an additional blanking operation for cutting it from asheet of metal. A considerable portion of the length of the lever 2| ispressed to give it an arcuate cross section, as seen in Fig. 6, but theterminal portions are not altered in cross section. The end whichadjoins the driving arm I6 includes a U-shaped bend 22 and a straightterminal 23, the latter being approximately in longitudinal alignmentwith the middle portion of arcuate cross-section. The U-shaped bend at22 is dimensioned to fit over the pivot 20 to complete the hinge at thepivot axis, and one of the flanges I8 of the arm I6 includes a lug 24extending in spaced relation to the pivot 20 and with clearance betweensaid pivot and the lug to accommodate the thickness of the U-shapedportion 22 of the hinged lever 2 I. It may be understood that inassembling the actuating arm, the U-shaped part 22 of the lever member2! will be placed between the flanges I8, I8 of the driving arm I6adjacent the lug 24, and the pivot 20 will then be inserted through thepreviously formed holes 25 in the flanges I8 and riveted in thisposition.

The terminal 23 of the lever 2| is disposed under the free end of theoverlapping fiat spring member 26 having a polygonally formed eye 2! atone end which fits into the pocket of the arm I 6 in which the bushingI4 is secured; and the eye 27 of the spring 26 is held between one faceof the bushing I4 and the opposing wall of the arm I6, being firmlysecured by the'clarnping effect of the nut I5 when the bushing isapplied to the end of the shaft I0.

At the opposite end the lever H is split into three parts by twoparallel slots 28, 28 for engagement with a fitting which is a part ofthe wiper blade or squeegee assembly. This assembly includes the rubbercontact member 30 which is gripped between the side walls of themetallic channel member 3|, the channel member having rigidly secured toit a saddle 32 comprising spaced, parallel. flanges 33 which embrace thechannel 3| and which are transversely connected by bridge members 34 atthe ends of the saddle. A coupling member to which the lever 2| isdirectly connected includes a pair of spaced ears 35 bent at rightangles to a web 36, the web being longer than the ears and having itsend portions 3'! engaged be tween the back of the channel 3| and thebridge portions 34 of the saddle 33. A small cross bar 38 extendstransversely between the ears 35.

The slots 28 in the end of the lever 2| divide this terminal portioninto a central hook mem ber 48 and a, pair of driving arms 4| which arebent approximately at right angles to the main portion of the lever 2I,so that, when the hook 40. is fitted between the ears 35 on the wiperblade assembly, the arms 4| embrace the outer faces of the ears 35providing a driving connection for swinging the blade back and forthover the surface of the windshield II. The central hook 451 may bedimensioned to fit rathersnugly between ears 35 so as to supplement thearms 4| for transmitting the driving force. The convexly rounded surfaceof the hook 40 at 42 bears against the web 38 of the coupling member inadirection to urge the wiper blade against the surface of the windshieldil. This pressure originates with the spring 26 bearing against theshort terminal 23 of the lever 2| and tending to rock the lever aboutthe pivot 20. spring 26 thus maintains firm contact of the wiper bladewith the windshield surface throughout its oscillating motion, and saidmotion is eificiently transmitted from the arm l6 to-the lever 2! byreason of the fact that the pivot 29 is of substantial length and thatthe end portion of the lever carried by this pivot is snugly heldbetween the side flanges l8 of the driving arm 16. The hook 4B isreadily disengaged'from the coupling member by simply swingin the lever2i about the lug 38 through a limited angle and then withdrawing the endof the hook from under the lug and from between the ears 35 of thecoupling member. Ordinarily this is accomplished after removing the nuti and disengaging the entire actuating arm from the end of the shaftiii. In wiping the windshield or cleaning the working edge of the rubberblade 36, the squeegee can be separated from the wind.- shield surfaceby swinging the lever 2| through a limited angle about its pivot 20 inopposition to the pressure of the spring 25.

I claim as my invention:

In a windshield wiper, an actuating arm of two members pivotallyconnected, one member being formed from a flat strip with a portion atone end operatively engaged with a wiper blade and with a portion at theotherend formed with a U-shaped bend curved to fit partially around apivot carried by the other member, together with spring means pressingsaid. U- shaped part into engagement with such pivot and also tendingtoswing said one member about the pivot in a direction to press itsopposite end forcibly against the wiper blade.

2. In a windshield wiper, an actuating arm of two members pivotallyconnected, one member being formed from a flat strip of uniform widthwith a portion of its length arched in cross section and with a portionbeyond one end of the arched portion'formed with a U-shaped bend curvedto fit partially around a pivot carried by the other member, and with aflat terminal portion extending from said bend in approximate alignmentwith the portion of arched cross section, and spring means carried bysaid other member bearing against said flat terminal portion.

3. In a windshield wiper, an actuating arm of two members pivotallyconnected, one member being formed from a flat strip with a portion atone end of the strip formed with a U-shaped bend curved to fit partiallyaround a pivot carried by the other member, and means on said othermember yiel-dingly pressing, said U- shaped portion into engagement withthe pivot.

4. Ina windshield wiper, an actuating arm of two members pivotallyconnected, one, member being formed from a flat strip with a portion atone end of the strip operatively engaged with a wiper blade, a portionat the other end being formed with a U-shaped bend open toward the 76general plane of the strip, the other member being of channel crosssection with smooth side flanges spaced to receive said U-shaped portionbetween them, and apivot extending between said flanges embraced by saidU-shaped portion, together with a flat spring disposed between saidflanges and pressing said U-shaped portion into engagement with thepivot.

5. In a windshield wiper, an actuating arm of two members pivotallyconnected, one member being formed from a flat strip with a portion atone end of the strip operatively engaged with a wiper blade, a portionat the other end being formed with a U-shaped bend, the other memberbeing of channel cross section, with side flanges spaced to receivesaid. U-shaped portion between them, and with a pivot carried by saidflanges and embraced by said U-shaped portion, one of the flanges havinga lug extending parallel to the pivot and adjacent the U -shapedportion, confining it on the pivot.

6. In a windshield wiper, an actuating arm of two members pivotallyconnected, one member being formed. from a flat strip with a portion atone end of the strip operatively engaged with a wiper blade, a portionat the other end being formed with a U-shaped bend, the other memberbeing of channel cross section, with side flanges spaced to receive saidU-shaped portion between. them, and with. a pivot carried by saidflanges and embraced by said U-shaped portion, the said first-mentionedmember having a flat terminal extending from its U-shaped portion andconfined in the channel of said other member.

7. In a windshield wiper, an actuating arm of two members pivotallyconnected, one member being formed from a flat strip with a portion atone end of the strip operatively engaged with a wiper blade, a portion.at the other end being formed with a U-shaped bend, the other memberbeing of channel cross section, with side flanges spaced to receive saidU-shaped portion between them, and with a pivot carried by said flangesand embraced by said u-shaped portion, the first-mentioned member havinga flat terminal extending from its U-shaped portion and confined.between the flanges of said other member, said other member including abushing clamped against the web of the channel with a flat spring arminterposed, the remote end of said spring bearing against the flatterminal.

8. In a windshield wiper which includes a blade, an actuating arm of twomembers pivotally connected together, with one of said members engagedat one end with the blade, a portion at the other end of said memberbeing formed with a U-shaped bend, the other member of the actuating armbeing of channel cross section withv side flanges spaced to receive saidU-shaped portion between them and witha pivot carried by said, flangesembraced by the U- shaped portion, the first mentioned member having aflat terminal extending from its U-shaped portion and confined betweenthe flanges of the channeled member, the latter including a bushingclamped against the web of the channel with a flat spring arm interposedand with the remote end of said spring bearing against the flat terminalin a direction to rock. said first mentioned member about the pivot andpress its hooked portion against said web of the blade fitting.

JOHN B. WHITTED.

